News Tribune

As a sophomore in college, Stephen enlisted in the Marine Corps. Although he was strongly opposed to the invasion of Iraq from the beginning, a strong sense of duty compelled him to offer his services to our nation. About a year after he enlisted, Stephen was pulled out of school when his reserve infantry battalion was activated and sent to the middle of the Sunni triangle. After an 11-month tour, during which he served in Iraq for about eight months, Stephen returned to school and completed his degree in economics. Torn between his disagreement with a war that should never have been fought and his sense of moral duty to use his experience to save the lives of his fellow marines, Stephen made the very difficult decision to volunteer for a second tour in Iraq. As a corporal, he led a squad of 12 Marines through intense urban combat in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Dealing with the realties of war forced Stephen to think deeply about life and his role in the world.  He returned from Iraq with an even stronger commitment to public service and a desire to accomplish something each and every day.

After serving our country in Iraq, Stephen moved to Washington, D.C where he served the people of Missouri by working as an aide to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. While in Washington, Stephen was in a unique position to immerse himself in the legislative process and hear from constituents about the issues impacting the state of Missouri. 

After winning a contested Democrat primary in August 2008, Stephen was officially elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in November 2008.  During his first session, Stephen served as a member of the Rules Committee, Labor Committee, and Homeland Security Committee.  In his second term, he was appointed to the Job Creation and Economic Development Committee. Stephen has worked across the aisle on issues including improving higher education, supporting workers rights, and increasing access to healthcare at no cost to taxpayers. 
Stephen is a member of Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America and the American Legion. In his free time he enjoys running on the MKT trail and getting together with friends at the most respected of Columbia's institutions, Shakespeare's Pizza. Stephen is a volunteer for Missouri Boys State, which seeks to get high school students involved in the political process. 

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